From free agency to the draft, there are all the key dates to know from the upcoming NFL offseason
Super Bowl Sunday is as bittersweet a football game day as there is.
On the one hand, it represents the culmination of another thrilling and eventful NFL season. On the other hand, it means the NFL season is sadly over, and the dog days of the offseason are looming.
That said, NFL fans are well aware that this league never truly rests. The offseason, in its own right, has become a spectacle as well. From the frenzy of free agency to the drama of the draft. The decisions made in the coming months will set the stage for what unfolds during the 2026 season.
For the Cleveland Browns, some pretty big choices loom large, with new head coach Todd Monken getting his first opportunity to shape the roster to his liking. With that said, here are all the key offseason dates that Browns' fans should be aware of:
February 17 - March 3: Clubs have until 4:00 p.m. ET at the end of this window to designate Franchise or Transition Tag Players
March 9-11: The NFL's "Legal Tampering period, where clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with the certified agents of players who will become UFAs at the start of the new league year
March 11: The 2026 League Year and free agency signing period begin at 4:00 p.m. ET.
March 29-April 1: Annual League Owners' Meeting in Phoenix, Ariz.
April 6: Clubs that hired a new head coach (like the Browns) may begin offseason programs
April 15: Deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview, or conduct a physical examination with a draft-eligible player at its team facility
April 17: Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets
April 22: Deadline for prior club to exercise right of first refusal to restricted free agents who signed offer sheets & deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview (including video and phone calls) or conduct a physical examination with a draft-eligible player at any location
April 23-25: NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, Pa.
May 1: Deadline for clubs to pick up fifth-year options on first-round picks from the 2023 NFL Draft
May 1-4 or May 8-11: Clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday on one of the two weekends following the NFL Draft
Late May: OTAs
May 19-20: Spring League Owners' Meeting, in Orlando, Fla.
Early-Mid June: Veteran minicamps
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